I love the Lord, because He hears
My voice and my supplications.
~ Psalm 116:1
David begins this psalm with a stunning statement. God hears his voice and his prayers.
Sometimes it can feel like the sky is made of brass and all our prayers simply bounce off and back to earth.
Prayers for change seem to go unanswered. Prayers for souls seem helpless. Prayers for healing, for rest, for strength…and silence.
But the Scriptures resolutely tell us that God hears our prayers! He hears each request, and often answers them and does far more than we can ask or think.
But notice that David’s statement has little to do with the answer. Why does he love God? Because God hears his prayers. David doesn’t say, “I love the Lord because He always gives me what I ask for.” That would be faithless.
Instead, the very fact that God hears his prayers is enough to lift David’s heart in love to His God.
Why?
Because there is absolutely NO reason that God should hear our prayers. In fact, quite the contrary. He should ignore our prayers, and punish us for our sins. But instead, He is attentive to us, hears us, and answers us according to what is best.
Why does He hear our prayers? Because He loves us! What a stunning thing that God loves His children so much that He would listen to their pleas. David loves God because God loved him first.
So - when you’re sorrowful about your life, and lift your heart to God, know He hears you. Whether He gives what you ask or no, He hears, and will always give you what is best.
